Final answer:
The banding characteristic of metamorphic rocks is foliation, which refers to the planar arrangement of structural or textural features in metamorphic rocks along straight or wavy planes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The banding characteristic of metamorphic rocks is foliation. Foliation refers to the planar arrangement of structural or textural features in metamorphic rocks along straight or wavy planes. This alignment of mineral crystals in the rock can be displayed as parallel planes, overlapping sheets of platy minerals, or alternating layers of light and dark minerals.